Pier Runners on Icon of the seas.

[LobsterStalker]

4 hours ago, Dan83 said:

Tough crowd. I feel bad when someone misses the ship whether it was their fault or not. You don’t know their story. They could have had something beyond their control or they could have been drinking at the bar two blocks away. Either way if there’s kids involved it wasn’t their fault. 

hmmm...

I don't think you are making your point very well here

 

Edit... I guess you are saying Not 'the kids fault' , Got it

 

Edited March 28 by LobsterStalker

[FamilyCruiserUK]

Whilst it cant be a good feeling or experience to miss your ship, the fact is there are rules in place and if you fail to follow them then its your own responsibility. 

They should have made it back on time or ensured if something out of their control happened then they contact the powers that be. But at the end of the day its 100% their fault and RC has every right to leave them behind. 

[mjkacmom]

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

In the end it's their fault, no matter the reason. They took a non-RC excursion and knew the risks.

How the heck do you know this? They could’ve gotten lost, they could’ve had an injury and went to an urgent care, not all pier runners (and I’d say very few) ae due to outside excursions.

[Saturngrl]

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who fail to do their homework in advance.  This website, along with RC and other travel sites, provides a plethora of information, including advice to keep your watches on ship time at all times.   I do my homework to learn the time zones for every port and document the difference in times.  I also make sure we return to the ship at least two hours before "all aboard".  

 

This being stated, we love to watch the pier runners.  On the rare occasions we've witnessed passengers being left behind, we do feel sorry for them to the extent they missed out.  

[MiniChunks]

4 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

How the heck do you know this? They could’ve gotten lost, they could’ve had an injury and went to an urgent care, not all pier runners (and I’d say very few) ae due to outside excursions.

 

How is getting lost anyone's fault but their own?  

[time4u2go]

5 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

How the heck do you know this? They could’ve gotten lost, they could’ve had an injury and went to an urgent care, not all pier runners (and I’d say very few) ae due to outside excursions.

I'm thinking the same thing.  One of them could have gotten sick, somebody could have been injured, they could have been involved in an accident, they could have been victims of a crime.  I agree that it was most likely their fault, but since none of us knows the facts, we really can't be sure.

[Robo1098]

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

In the end it's their fault, no matter the reason. They took a non-RC excursion and knew the risks.

I guess that may be true in any instance that it is their fault but without knowing everything it is a little tough. In the end even with a sponsored excursion you take a risk of being left. Any time you leave the ship it could be your fault if you are left. You could say it is someones fault for being left because they took a cruise out of the coounty. May be their fault but without knowing the story it is hard to lay blame. That being said I hate seeing people walking down the pier as the whole ship is waiting on them. 

[Mikamarii]

Empathy and sympathy are two very different things. I empathize with their situation, but I most certainly do not feel sorry for someone missing a ship.

[DingoMom]

3 hours ago, sandebeach said:

Was Icon’s gangway still open, and they were denied boarding, or had the ship already left?

The ship was still there. All the gangways had been pulled up, and the safety barriers taken down. The final gangway had the door about three-fourths closed. Two of the ropes from the ship to the pier had been thrown in. The ship had blown its horn several times. 
Our ship had an all-aboard time of 2:30 (I think), and there did not appear to be any more folks coming back to our ship, so the port area must have been pretty empty.

IMO, to have their trip ruined is sad, regardless of the reason or ‘fault.’

[Jkaczanowski]

We used to cruise “the mouse” pre-Covid.  When “the mouse” said all aboard was 3PM, the gang way was pulled exactly at 3PM.  I think RC is extremely lenient as I RARELY have seen a RC ship leave on time.  And anyone leisurely walking back to the ship after all-aboard reeks of entitlement.

[Ocean Boy]

17 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

 

Kindness and sympathy are positive qualities, yes. 

But how about also being kind to the people who managed to follow the rules?  Let them move forward with their vacation as planned.  Don't add to their port fees or push the crew because of a few people who can't follow the rules.  

I don't think anyone has made the argument that being late is OK or even that the ship should wait around for stragglers.

 

Quite simply, none of us knows the circumstances creating the problem and the lack of compassion and sense of entertainment in other's misfortune is eye opening.

[lovesthebeach2]

16 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

This is an urban myth, port dockage fees are generally for a 24 hour spot.

About 20+ years ago we took the Pacific Princess from NY to Bermuda. On our last day there, One couple missed the ship. They got there as we were pulling away. We were told that their parents were onboard with their two small children. The Captain left the port and we anchored quite a distance away and waited as finally the couple was brought to the ship by a motorboat and hoisted onto the ship by a rope. It was very scary even for us being able to see this from our balcony.

 

We were told that he had to leave the port because our time was up….maybe because we had been there for a few days our time really was up?

[lovesthebeach2]

6 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I don't think anyone has made the argument that being late is OK or even that the ship should wait around for stragglers.

 

Quite simply, none of us knows the circumstances creating the problem and the lack of compassion and sense of entertainment in other's misfortune is eye opening.

Unfortunately since compassion is an emotion, people can’t be taught how to feel/experience it.

[Cooper30]

Every time I see things about pier runners, I’m reminded of the time we watched a dozen or so people straggling back late to the ship in Falmouth, Jamaica.   Seemed like the whole ship was yelling crap at them. 
 

Turns out it was a Royal Caribbean excursion…..and there was a deadly accident right in front of the bus carrying the people back to the ship that closed the whole road, causing the bus to be late getting back to the port. One of the woman on the excursion had become friendly with my wife earlier in the cruise.  She was an RN who had to help at the scene and was clearly traumatized. 
 

Some of the things being yelled from balconies and the pool deck were horrible.   

 

[Another_Critic]

6 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

About 20+ years ago we took the Pacific Princess from NY to Bermuda. On our last day there, One couple missed the ship. They got there as we were pulling away. We were told that their parents were onboard with their two small children. The Captain left the port and we anchored quite a distance away and waited as finally the couple was brought to the ship by a motorboat and hoisted onto the ship by a rope. It was very scary even for us being able to see this from our balcony.

On a recent cruise, they brought a couple to the ship on the pilot boat (when picking up the pilot).

[lovesthebeach2]

8 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

On a recent cruise, they brought a couple to the ship on the pilot boat (when picking up the pilot).

Wow….. but luckily they probably got on the ship through the door that the pilot uses….scary enough, but to watch 2 people hoisted up to the ship, just holding onto a rope in the pitch black of night with just the lights from the ship was terrifying to watch. That was pre-cell phone days, and I don’t remember anyone yelling nasty comments to the young couple. As said above, we had no idea why they missed the ship.  Luckily it was a small ship…. It was actually the “Love Boat” from the Tv show…people clapped when they got back onboard.

[Mum2Mercury]

31 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

I don't think anyone has made the argument that being late is OK or even that the ship should wait around for stragglers.

 

Quite simply, none of us knows the circumstances creating the problem and the lack of compassion and sense of entertainment in other's misfortune is eye opening.

Unkindness to the stragglers /stragglers doing right or wrong isn't my point at all.  I'm saying that if the argument is KINDNESS, you have to be kind to the people who made it back as well.  They clearly did the right thing, and they deserve their vacation to move on without delay.  

 

 

 

Edited March 28 by Mum2Mercury

[reallyitsmema]

57 minutes ago, Cooper30 said:

Every time I see things about pier runners, I’m reminded of the time we watched a dozen or so people straggling back late to the ship in Falmouth, Jamaica.   Seemed like the whole ship was yelling crap at them. 
 

Turns out it was a Royal Caribbean excursion…..and there was a deadly accident right in front of the bus carrying the people back to the ship that closed the whole road, causing the bus to be late getting back to the port. One of the woman on the excursion had become friendly with my wife earlier in the cruise.  She was an RN who had to help at the scene and was clearly traumatized. 
 

Some of the things being yelled from balconies and the pool deck were horrible.   

 

 

I remember that accident.  Those people killed were actually family members of someone who posts in this forum. 😞🙏🏻

[Tree_skier]

I feel bad for the kid...

 

Edited March 28 by Tree_skier

[Ocean Boy]

47 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

Wow….. but luckily they probably got on the ship through the door that the pilot uses….scary enough, but to watch 2 people hoisted up to the ship, just holding onto a rope in the pitch black of night with just the lights from the ship was terrifying to watch. That was pre-cell phone days, and I don’t remember anyone yelling nasty comments to the young couple. As said above, we had no idea why they missed the ship.  Luckily it was a small ship…. It was actually the “Love Boat” from the Tv show…people clapped when they got back onboard.

We did a cruise to Bermuda years ago and the Love Boat was tied up at the Dockyard while we were in Hamilton on Celebrity's Horizon. When we got back to NYC we were on the opposite side of the same pier with the Pacific Princess.

[tonit964]

For those saying they could have been late due to an accident or needing to go to urgent care or whatever, in the daily planner on all of the cruise lines I've been on, they list a port agent and phone number in case you have an emergency while onshore and they recommend you bring it with you.

I'm sure many don't pay attention to it but also I'm sure many do.

[HBE4]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Unkindness to the stragglers /stragglers doing right or wrong isn't my point at all.  I'm saying that if the argument is KINDNESS, you have to be kind to the people who made it back as well.  They clearly did the right thing, and they deserve their vacation to move on without delay. 

 

Do we have to be KIND to the people that apparently take glee in the misfortune of others?

 

[Engineroom Snipe]

4 hours ago, Engineroom Snipe said:

Unfortunately, there are many moving parts.

 

Port fees are based on time at dock.

 

The dock might need to be cleared for another ship.

 

The harbormaster is normally reserved for a certain period of time and might be scheduled for another ship at a certain time.

 

Many variables involved in the decision.

 

Modifying my post to reflect @chengkp75 stating that port fees are normally for a fixed time period so that in this case, the additional time at dock would not be an issue which would increase a port fee.

 

 

[Another_Critic]

37 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

We did a cruise to Bermuda years ago and the Love Boat was tied up at the Dockyard while we were in Hamilton on Celebrity's Horizon. When we got back to NYC we were on the opposite side of the same pier with the Pacific Princess.

 

I was on Celebrity Horizon (46,811 GT) in Oct. 2002, leaving Hamilton, when we passed Pacific Princess (20,636 GT).  I thought, that ship is tiny.  😄

 

Later (Oct. 2011), I did a 10 night non-stop TA (LIS to SJU) on "tiny" Azamara Journey (30,277 GT).  🙂

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, DingoMom said:

The ship was still there. All the gangways had been pulled up, and the safety barriers taken down. The final gangway had the door about three-fourths closed. Two of the ropes from the ship to the pier had been thrown in. The ship had blown its horn several times. 
Our ship had an all-aboard time of 2:30 (I think), and there did not appear to be any more folks coming back to our ship, so the port area must have been pretty empty.

IMO, to have their trip ruined is sad, regardless of the reason or ‘fault.’

We're just off Explorer  and had about 10-12 pier runners in St Kitts. The ship blew it's horn a few times. The next day at the Captains Corner the question was asked (by me) about the pier runners. Captain said they have guidelines as to how long they'll wait. WOW the fuel consumption was crazy (and is also the reason they ask for a contact number and actually may try to call your cell phone) but at times they've contributed to the islands population...HaHa. However he was blowing the horn at the Celebrity ship that was sailing out not for the runners.